Rescued cat - Dealing with cats that don't get along. PLEASE HELP

Hi everyone, I am once again posting about my adult foster cat, Destiny.
I have an adult cat of my own and she does not care for other adult cats. (We thought Destiny the foster cat was 4 months like the shelter said but she is actually 2 years old.. no problem, we love her! )
Anyway, my cat will beat up adults who act like prey. Unfortunately the food introduction method didn't go so well because Destiny doesn't really care for wet food, so she ran and my cat chased her.
I can't introduce them by allowing them to see each other while they eat because Destiny doesn't like any wet food and will nibble on hard food throughout the day.
Are there other ways? Please give me any ideas you have, I would love for them to all get along so that Destiny doesn't have to stay locked up in a bedroom and she can be part of the family while she waits for a home. Unfortunately because she can act aggressively towards humans, this will probably take a long time and I don't want her locked up until she is adopted (she is let out when I put the others away in her room to get to know her smells, but she doesn't stay out for long...)

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

Such a beautiful face! (Great photo!!!)

I have to say first that I so applaud you for taking on a foster -let alone a difficult, adult foster. So few people are willing to do that! And keep telling yourself that, even though having her alone in a room while you all work on this isn't ideal, it's preferable to her sitting alone, scared, in a small cage at a shelter (or worse). I know from personal experience how frustrating & helpless it can feel when having trouble with fosters integrating into your own home & with your own cats-particularly when it's a foster you're worried won't adopt easily! We just went through it with a kitten who had gone through a horrible start in life-he was found unconscious on a sidewalk, starving to death in -20 degree weather, & then it was discovered he'd been in horrible pain all his young life as he'd been born without eyelids. We nursed him back to health, including helping him heal following eyelid graft surgery...and he was an amazingly sweet, gentle kitten. Until he -for the first time in his young life-started to feel better! Then our little tiny, cross-eyed adorable foster became a hard-nipping, mega-alpha boy who wanted nothing more than to try to dominate (or better yet, eliminate completely!!!) any and all of our guys. I've been fostering for years & felt like I could "read" cats pretty well -as well as anyone can-but this guy took us completely by surprise! And to top it off-we had a hard time separating him as he had horrible separation anxiety -& if left alone, ripped up feet of carpet, literally chewed apart a comforter, you name it! I had many a tearful night, praying he'd find a home or learn to integrate into our "herd." We loved him -& couldn't imagine him going back in a cage as his eyes now looked extra odd & squinty following his surgery (we took to calling him - lovingly of course- "Weasel" (& eventually "Bitey McWeasel Face" due to his increasing, well, habit of biting too hard in play...which we did eventually break him of.). Needless to say-we knew he'd be hard to adopt out!! There is a happy ending though--he ended up finding that one special someone who "got him for who he is, thought even his squinty eyes were adorable, & even was willing to put in the work of a slow integration with her original 2 cats. We're even going over to visit him this week!

Now I wish I could say we had a fairy tale ending even before he found his forever home - that I figured out a magic key that got him to sit gently with our guys. Didn't happen. BUT-I feel like it was partially my fault. I rushed the introductions since I mistakenly at that point thought he was gentle & submissive. I should have done a slow introduction. And right now (wish me luck!) we have a new adult foster "Flick" who was a feral year old TNR kitten we brought in when a neighbor started poisoning her colony. She's turned out to be very "inferal"....wanting to sit on our laps (or shoulders or heads!). And she was just tested & vaccinated so we're going to start sllloooowww intros tomorrow.

Anyway-I'm leading up to what I hope might help (I'm hoping it helps us & Flick!). Do a few days (or more) of swapping out favored bedding materials. Keep swapping for a minimum of several days. Then move her (& your guys) dishes of hard food to either side of a closed door-right at the bottom of the door. No you won't be able to do the feedings at a specific time since it'll be more of a "passing while grazing". Believe me -they'll still know each other are there. Then you can move to propping the door open only by an inch or two -bowls on either side of the door. Work your way up to the baby gate concept-but your girl who doesn't like wet, try either canned mackerel (in the tuna section), tuna, or jarred human baby food -Gerbers Chicken stage 2 (no garlic). 9 times out of 10- cats who turn up their nose at everything come running for the mackerel, the baby food, or both!
Trust me-she's got a weak food spot in there somewhere!!! Just keep trying-you'll find the hot button, & think inches not miles Chances are very good she'll eventually "get it".

Keep us posted-& don't give up!!!! You'll all get there eventually--& think what an AMAZING feeling you have when it finally DOES work out. And slowly but surely it will!!!!

Keep at it and keep us posted!!!

Let me first say thank you for rescuing this sweet kitty and for taking the time to work so your cats will get along.  I do feel your pain and I wish I could say that there is a magic pill.  Last May I brought a 3 year old neutered feral male into my home.  He was territorial aggressive and having a hard time with my other ferals outside.  He had warmed up to me over a 6 month period and I could at least briefly touch him.  He was fighting with my outside boys and I couldn't handle it any longer.  I had neutered him a few months earlier.  Inside my house I had a 5 year old resident cat.  He had peacefully existed as the only indoor cat his entire life. 

Marvin came inside to his own room.  He had everything he needed and after a few rough days, he settled in very well.  I kept him inside the room for 2 months before even trying scent to scent introductions.  My resident cat (Jake) knew he was there, but with lots of baby gates we kept him away from the door.  When I started introductions, it all went fairly smoothly and I thought after 2 weeks they were ready to be out together.  It all went well for a few days and then trouble began.  Of course I had rushed the steps.  The fighting was awful.  My resident cat became fearful and life inside my home was a disaster.  I kept them separated for a few weeks and then started intros again.  I moved at a snails pace.  I had the most success with a few key items:

1.  Liquid composure max or composure feline treats.  I really prefer the liquid as it will mix into wet food and cats like the taste.  The treats are kind of hit or miss, but they are definitely worth a try.  I started giving it to both cats, but eventually only the aggressor needed it.  It really helped to calm him.  He needed it 2x a day and I doubled the dose to start.  Go online and read about it.

2.  A scree door as a barrier.  I purchased a cheap wooden screen door from Lowes and attached it to the door frame using tension rods.  I then had a baby gate in the door was attached that gave it a bit of a barrier.  This allowed the cats to safely see each other and sniff.  It also allowed Marvin the chance to see, hear and smell the house.  I have a picture of my set up if you'd like to see it.

3.  A also used a large dog cage.  I placed one cat inside and then covered it with a sheet on 3 sides.  The cats could sniff and no one could get hurt.  I always had yummy plain cooked chicken rewards.  They loved it and they began to associate each other with something delicious.

I began the reintroductions in October and was still working on them into the new year.  Once January came and the holidays were done, life settled a bit.  Yet, when no one was home, Marvin had to go to his room and Marvin was in his room each night.  It was still a pain.  It took until May of this year (one year after Marvin came into the house) for the boys to become housemates!  They learned to coexist during the winter, but Jake always walked around on egg shells.  Now one year later after all of our hard work and perseverence the boys will even lay in the same room together and there are no more fights.  It was a long long tough road, but well worth it now.

To conclude, here are a few articles to introductions,  The key is to take it painstakingly slow and always look for something that will help. 

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/introducing-cats-to-cats

http://www.catbehaviorassociates.com/a-simple-little-trick-to-use-during-new-cat-introductions/

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/cat-behavior/introducing-your-cat-new-cat

http://jacksongalaxy.com/2010/10/01/cat-to-cat-introductions/